Panel wall joint



Jan. 5, 1954 R. H. COCHRANE PANEL WALL JOINT Filed May 7, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ralph J-LCochrane SW i Jan. 5, 1954 R. H. COCHRANE 2,664,740

PANEL WALL JOINT Filed May 7, 195 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "n? N v o ":-"="o r o o I o v o 1 I o o O I 3 o .0 0' o A 3 INVENTOR Ralph Ji'. Cbcbrane 20 20 BY 4 4: ML

ATTORNEYS 1954 R. H. COCHRANE 2,664,740

PANEL WALL JOINT Filed May 7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTOR Ralph Ji- C'ocbrane ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PANEL WALL JOINT Ralph H. Cochrane, Sacramento, Calif. Application May 7, 1951, Serial No. 224,950

r U 20laims. (01.72-107) "This invention relates in general to steel frame and reinforced concrete building structures.

, This type of building structure normally requires initial erection of the steel frame, followed by the construction of forms and the tying of reinforcing steel therein preparatory to the final step of pouring the concrete; the operation being long, labor-consuming, and costly.

It is the major object of the present invention to provide a steel frame and reinforced concrete building structure which embodies prefabricated wall panels, and a steel frame; both being erected as part of a common operation, without the need of forms, and with a substantial saving in time, labor, and expense. 7

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a building structure, as above, wherein the steel frame embodies a novel arrangement for connecting adjacent panels; part of the frame being aflixed to the wall panels upon pref-abrication of the latter, and the remaining parts of the frame being readily assembled with said panel parts on the building site.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steel frame. and concrete building structure in which the prefabricated wall panels are--in the main-of concrete produced from a lightweight aggregate whereby to facilitate initial handling, transport to the building site, and erection of said panels; the use of light-weight aggregate being possible as the panels form only curtain walls with the load primarily sustained by the steel frame of the building structure.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a pre-cast cap or closure column for each vertical joint between adjacent ends of the prefabricated wall panels of the building structure; there being novel means to secure said column in place against said panels.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a practical and reliable building structure, and one'which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

, These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the building structure; the View being taken at the upper end portion of one of the wall panel-frame joints...

Fig. 2 is afraginentary perspective section of the structure with the pre-cast caps or closure columns removed.

Fig. 3is a perspective view of one of the prefabricated wall panels, detached.

the wall panel-frame joints.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken at one of the wall panel-frame joints, but showing a modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the wall structure of Fig. 4, but showing an interior or partition wall panel connected thereto. v

Fig. '7 is a similar view, but of the modified wall structure of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, and at present to Figs. 1-4 inclusive, the building structure includes a plurality of prefabricated wall panels, indicated generally at I, such wall panels being constructed as follows:

Each wall panel I comprises a wall section 2 of substantial width and full height; i. e. floor to ceiling. The wall sections 2 are pre-cast from concrete produced from a light-weight aggregate, and along opposite side edges each section includes an inwardly facing border channel 3.

In the prefabrication of each wall panel I, the

channels 3 are disposed horizontal on a casting platform, being tied together by reinforcing rods 4 which extend laterally between such channels and at the ends being welded thereto as at 5. Additionally, the reinforcing rods 4 have other reinforcing material 6, such as mesh, welded thereto. After the border channels 3 are initially connected together, with proper spacing, by the reinforcing rods 4, a wall section 2 is cast between such border channels; the latter forming the opposite side forms, while suitable end forms (not shown) span between said border channels at the ends.

After the wall panels I are prefabricatedin the manner above described, they are ready for use in a building structure, and being relatively light-weight can be easily handled, transported to the building site, and erected as follows:

At the building site the prefabricated wall panel are erected on a previously poured founda tion; the wall panels 1 being disposed in upstanding, adjacent edge to edge relation, and

are jointed at said edges in the following novel manner:

- (;hannel posts 1, disposed in back-toebackrela tion, upstand from the foundation, and such channel posts are of substantially greater width than the thickness of the wall panels I.

The border channels 3 of adjacent wall panels I abut against corresponding ones of the upstanding channel posts I, being welded to the latter, as at 8, as the structure is erected. This ties adjacent panel sections I to the related'channel posts I, and in turn the latter are connected by cross bolts 9 with a vertical filler plate I engaged between said back-to-back channel posts 7. Additionally, the adjacent end flanges II of the channel posts I are connected together by vertical tie plates I2 secured to said flanges by cross bolts I3. In this manner adjacent wall panels I are effectively and rigidly secured together by a joint which is simple in design and easy to assemble on the job.

Further, the filler plate It and the tie plates I2 project a distance above the upper edges of the wall panels 1 (see Fig. 1), whereby to form in effect an H-colurnn extension, as at I4, and

the purpose of which extension is to provide for connection of the elements of the. joint which extend upwardly for the next above story of the building structure. Also, the H-column extension I4 serves as the connecting point for the horizontal floor I-beams (not shown) of the building structure, and which may be installed in the conventional manner.

After each joint is completed between adjacent wall panels I, the laterally projecting portions of the channel posts 1 and the connected parts, which are initially exposed, are covered-- on both sides of the wall as shown in Fig. 4 only if no interior wall is to lead from the joint-by pre-cast vertical caps or closure columns I5 of channel shape, each column having suitable reinforcing I6 therein.

Each closure column i5 is secured to the wall structure by opposed, engaged hook lugs I'I formed in connection with adjacent faces of the wall panels I and closure columns I5; said lugs being disposed for cooperation with downward shifting of the closure column from an initial elevated position.

When in place the closure columns I5 not only provide an ornamental cover for the laterally projecting portions of the joint, but also protect said portions from undue weathering or the like.

When an interior or partition wall is to be erected, the interior facing column I5 is omitted, and the edge channel 3 of a wall panel I is abutted and secured, by bolting or welding, against the inner tie plate I2 as shown in Fig. 6. The adjacent projecting portion of the channels I and the spaces between the right angled panels I is then filled with plaster P.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a modification of the joint between adjacent wall sections; this embodiment of the joint being preferred for building structures of one story in height.

Here each wall panel is indicated at I8, being of substantially the same form as before, except that the side edge portions are symmetrically reduced in thickness, as at IS, with the border channels of correspondingly re-- duced width.

When the wall panels I8 are erected, with the border channels 21] back toback in alinement, such channels are secured together at corresponding ends by vertical tie plates 2| welded to the border channels 28, as at 22. Thereafter, when the opposite faces of the wall panel I8 are plastered or otherwise finished, as at 23, theplaster fills in the concavities formed by the reminced-thickness, side edge portions I 9, cover ing the tie plates 2I. In this manner an unbroken or smooth wall surface is attained from one wall panel I8 to the next on both sides thereof.

With this form of construction, when a partition wall is to be erected, the inner tie plate 2| is omitted, and the edge channel 20 of a wall panel I8 is abutted against and Welded directly to the adjacent channels 20 of the adjacent alined panels I8, as shown at 24 in Fig. 7.

While the building structure has been described hereinbefore with respect to walls, floor and roof sections may be similarly jointed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a building structure as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the structure, still in practice such deviations from such detail may beresorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the inventio the fol lowing is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a building structure, a pair of prefabricated reinforced concrete panels disposed in substantially coplanar relationship, the adjacent edges of each panel having border channels thereon with the flanges of the border channels directed toward the interior of the body of the respective panel, a post formed of a pair of backto-back channel elements positioned between the adjacent edges of a pair of said pr nels, fastening means connecting the webs of said channel elements together in detachable relationship, the width of said post being greater than that of the border channel and the flanges of said post being spaced outwardly of the face of said panels and the flanges of said border channels, said fastening means being positioned in the space between the flanges of the posts and border channels, said border channels being secured to the webs of said post on opposite sides thereof, channelshaped closure columns disposed about the portion of said post which project outwardly of the face of said panels, and connecting means securing said closure columns to said panels.

2. A building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises interlocked pairs of lugs, said lugs being provided on the faces of the panels andon the edges of the channel-shaped closure columns.

RALPH H. COCHRANE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

